Futur clone Ming Shi 2000S

[Yyragtoj]

I only have the clone so can't compare, but the razor definitely isn't mild.
If you get alignment issues, you might want to check the photos and suggestions Ricksplace gives in this thread:

How to fix a Merkur Futur and the clones

 

[JBlaze]

I have a question I too was looking to try one of these but I have hears the black one has worse blade alignment. Can anyone confirm or deny this? Also in Ali express they are about 11 to 15 bucks were they not 8 or 9 bucks before?

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[Ricksplace]

I just bought a black finish q-shave clone for another project. It doesn't appear to have any alignment issues.
The prices have climbed a little recently. Not surprising. Still one of the best deals out there.

 

[Swedish Steel]

If it is too mild for you, pinch the cap and the bottom plate between your tumb and fingers and twist the handle past six. You can turn it up to "12" that way. Or repeat the process for an "18" setting. At some point, though, I suspect that turning that handle stops adding any effect.

 

[Esetter]

If it is too mild for you, pinch the cap and the bottom plate between your tumb and fingers and twist the handle past six. You can turn it up to "12" that way. Or repeat the process for an "18" setting. At some point, though, I suspect that turning that handle stops adding any effect.

Can you turn it back from the 6-12 setting?

 

[Yyragtoj]

@Esetter yes you can.
Just to be clear if you're going above 6, you can just as well get a 3 piece, remove the base plate and shave with that.
The razor is aggressive even at 1.
There's lots of topics where people consider the Futur at 1 more aggressive than a lot of razors, including most vintage Gillettes. I don't think the clone would be much different.
There's some conversation about earlier clones (pre-2016) being milder than the original but in absence of any measurement showing real geometry differences I would expect this to be due to the weight.

 

[Esetter]

@Esetter yes you can.
Just to be clear if you're going above 6, you can just as well get a 3 piece, remove the base plate and shave with that.
The razor is aggressive even at 1.
There's lots of topics where people consider the Futur at 1 more aggressive than a lot of razors, including most vintage Gillettes. I don't think the clone would be much different.
There's some conversation about earlier clones (pre-2016) being milder than the original but in absence of any measurement showing real geometry differences I would expect this to be due to the weight.

Yeah, I have a clone and IIRC it worked best for me in the middle of whatever range it ended up in. I've got no issue with blade gap and/or exposure; I can shave with my Mk I Fendrihan, Thin cap OT and Grande very comfortably; I think it's the blade chatter on the Q Shave that makes the learning curve steeper for me. Nice razor for the price, though.

 

[shoulderpet]

If it is too mild for you, pinch the cap and the bottom plate between your tumb and fingers and twist the handle past six. You can turn it up to "12" that way. Or repeat the process for an "18" setting. At some point, though, I suspect that turning that handle stops adding any effect.

I was just about to post to say the same thing, I did this and set it at 2.5 and was wowed by how effortlessly it took down my facial hair, then I got over-confident and nicked myself, and after that I swiftly put it back to its default settings. I tend to use my Ikon SB so I am used to aggressive razors but shaving with this turned up past 6 is a scary experience, I wouldn't recommend doing it but it may be ok for those who use an R41 or a straight razor.

 

[Swedish Steel]

I was just about to post to say the same thing, I did this and set it at 2.5 and was wowed by how effortlessly it took down my facial hair, then I got over-confident and nicked myself, and after that I swiftly put it back to its default settings. I tend to use my Ikon SB so I am used to aggressive razors but shaving with this turned up past 6 is a scary experience, I wouldn't recommend doing it but it may be ok for those who use an R41 or a straight razor.

If you have paid the price of learing, what's holding you back? Now you know what not to do.

 

[lurchbrian]

good afternoon I must add im new the the de experiance but having started with the Wilkinson sword classic and blades I have now upgraded to the ming shi 2000s and what a difference in the shave its like tractor to limmo if thats the difference cant wait to try a proper future ? or am I happy with the ming shi for now ill be staying with the ming shi

 

[shoulderpet]

Ok, have used the Ming Shi a few times and can honestly say I am a little underwhelmed, the head geometry seems to be sufficiently different to how I remember the Merkur Futur being, the blade gap gets pretty big with the razor on full or near to but unless my memory is failing me the blade exposure seems less on this razor than on the Futur which means that it is relying almost entirely on the blade gap for its aggressiveness which means that it very quicky tapers from aggressive on 5 to pushing lather around the face without doing anything (around 3) thus so far I have found this razor is great on the first pass but that 2nd pass is a big fail as on the lower settings it does not seem to do very much at all.

 

[kingfisher]

You don't have to turn it down for subsequent passes, though.

 

[lurchbrian]

Ok, have used the Ming Shi a few times and can honestly say I am a little underwhelmed, the head geometry seems to be sufficiently different to how I remember the Merkur Futur being, the blade gap gets pretty big with the razor on full or near to but unless my memory is failing me the blade exposure seems less on this razor than on the Futur which means that it is relying almost entirely on the blade gap for its aggressiveness which means that it very quicky tapers from aggressive on 5 to pushing lather around the face without doing anything (around 3) thus so far I have found this razor is great on the first pass but that 2nd pass is a big fail as on the lower settings it does not seem to do very much at all.

hi I must say I haven't found this yes the shave angel is a bit different from the other 2 razors I have tried .
at the moment having reasonably new skin to the de shave experiance im doing all 3 of my passes on about 2 1/2 setting. no problems but if I go upto 3 onwards im getting nicks . just my thoughts on a cheep razor dont forget its cheep.

 

[lurchbrian]

Around two weeks for me, but it varied for others.

hi my turn round was 3 days in the uk from a uk ebayer and £ 8.90 with free p&p

 

[John Rose]

I have a peculiar problems with these clones. The blade gets stuck in the top cap and wraps like an arc towards the head cap when i remove the cap. Anyone else face this?
Advice or experiences anyone?

Yup.
I've been using a little plastic rod with magnets on both ends to pick the blade out.
It was from a toy like this:

Also handy for picking it up off the floor. My Qutur (I like that name) is the only razor I have where that's likely to happen.

If it is too mild for you, pinch the cap and the bottom plate between your tumb and fingers and twist the handle past six. You can turn it up to "12" that way. Or repeat the process for an "18" setting. At some point, though, I suspect that turning that handle stops adding any effect.

My Qutur came that way (6.5-12 range) out of the box. The first time I used it was a bit of a bloodbath.
Afterwards I figured out how to fix it, and now the cap bottoms out on the base when set to 0.5.
I use it mostly at setting 3 now, At 4 for touching up difficult spots.

 

[Esetter]

I've got mine on four this week for two passes; plenty of blade feel, decent shaves, and no blood. Every second day, it's fine but if I started to shave daily, I'd probably go back to my Red Tip.